In The Times
by Steffi Anderson
Summary: The Slayers having lived their lives in our modern world. Continuing relies on feedback


Ok, this is another little ficcie idea that came to me in the middle of the night, thus suffered from lack-of-sleepitetis and will continue based on feedback. 

Basically, if the Slayers lived in our time, in our world, where would they be? This is not them coming to our world, as I see so many people doing, but having lived their lives here, in the fictional Atlas city which could be a mirror of any city in the world. Some changes have had to be made (ie. Rezo is Zel's father rather then grandfather or any other relation. Also Zel is human and always has been).  

Warning: Drugs, Violence and Adult Themes likely to occur. (probably not for a bit yet though)

Hope you enjoy and all comments welcome. ^.^ The New Year Front page news: Most Uni Places go to private schools 

'Students from private schools are taking the majority of university places as the proportion of university students from government schools fall, according to a new report based on unpublished Education Department data.

Government school students make up nearly 60 per cent of year 12 pupils but only 46 per cent of school leavers enrolling in Atlas universities, the report has found. This brings new alarms to parents as the school year officially begins today with a new group of year 12's aiming for their ACE (Atlas Certificate of Education) at the end of the year.'

Panic. That was the first word that came to mind as Amelia stared down at the multiple choice question before her. She wanted desperately to get it right. Well A and D were defiantly out of the question, but her mind continued to debate between B and C.

She began to chew on the end of her pen as she read the question and possible answers one more time. This year she was going to be a saint and receive high scores in everything. 

"Amelia. Miss Amelia, your attention this way please." 

Martina nudged her. Amelia looked up. A number of the girls giggled behind her.

"Yes, Sister?" She asked.

The school holidays were over and term one had begun at St Ive's Catholic School for girls. Or young ladies as the sign out the front read. 

"I hope whatever you are doing is more important then my religion class." Sister Ul Copt said. First class of year 10 for Amelia had been Religion with Sister Filia Ul Copt who just happened to teach the most boring subject. "Would you care to share it with the rest of the class?"

Amelia brought the magazine out from under the desk and placed it on top. Maybe not a saint this year. And maybe she won't do better in religion either. 

"Well come on," Filia urged, "Stand up and read it out for the others." 

Amelia stood holding the teen mag with shaky hands. " 'How loyal are you?' " She read in a clear voice, he face growing redder with each passing second, " 'Your friend invites you to a party with some others. During it her boyfriend starts chatting you up while she is busy with the cake. He eventually asks if you are interested in seeing a movie the following weekend. Do you: A) Agree and set a time behind your friend's back, B) Tell him you're busy to avoid complication, C) Go tell your friend immediately, even though it is their party, or D) Throw your cocktail down the front of his new suit.' "

It was obvious why A and D were out of it. More girls began to snicker. Sister Ul Copt looked as though she had just swore. "And can you tell me what this has to do with this class?" Filia asked through tight lips. While the Sister was fairly nice and kind, she had quick and rather fiery temper. Not a good thing to provoke on the first day for the year. 

"Well," Amelia began thinking of an answer. She struck a determined pose. "You were saying how we have to keep our mind focused on faithful things and how the world around us today will pressure us into unclean ways and away from the good teachings of the bible." Martina was putting her figure down her throat as if about to be sick, "Well as you were saying this it reminded me of this Girlfriend magazine I bought. This is the perfect example of today's unholiness. It does not ask 'how faithful are you' or have articles about the teachings of Jesus. No, instead it has questionnaires titled 'how big is he' and I can assure you, Sister, they are not referring to his height." 

Martina looked revolted and the giggles had increased. Sister Ul Copt was staring at Amelia as if trying to puzzle out whether what she had just said was true or not. Amelia could feel her cheeks burning. 

In the end Filia just sighed. "Very well, since it is so sinful in your mind, you won't mind me taking it." She held out her hand and Amelia passed over the mag. "You may sit down and let us resume with no more interruptions."

Amelia thankfully plonked back down in her seat. Martina nudged her again.

"Nice one," her friend said, her voice thick with sarcasm, "and you owe me a new mag."

                                                            ~

The last bell of the day sounded at Atlas City High. Students fled their classrooms as if someone had just fired a shotgun in the schoolyard. 

Now Lina walked down one of the main streets on her route home, school bag slung over one shoulder. She was the classic I-don't-give-a-stuff-about-school sort of student that you catch jumping on and off the tram. Lollypop in mouth, socks down, shirt out, skirt skew-if, hair hanging loose, top button undone and tie knot hanging half way down her chest. Thankfully no blazer was required for state schools. 

She paused while striding past the gym. A group of the local dream girls were out the front peering through the glass to perve on male instructors and members alike. 

"Oh he's sooo dreamy."

"Look at those biceps!"

"Ooo I like a guy with blond hair."

"Hentai's." Lina whispered making use of those primary school Japanese lessons, although this particular word had come from her complete English/Japanese dictionary.  She had been bored that lesson. 

Although one quick glance through the window did reveal a rather nice looking guy. Or your typical dream boy. Long blond hair reaching down his back, blue eyes and a killer smile. Well built too. 

A loud and off-key sound hit her ears. Lina cringed. There was no mistaking that laugh. Only one person in the world could produce such an awful sound. And that someone just had to be walking out of the gym right then.

Lina had met Naga through her part time job at the Mc Donald's around the corner from her house. The two worked same shifts and lived in the neighbourhood so it was indivent that they would cross paths every now and then. But right now, after narrowly escaping a detention on her first day back, and been yelled at by the deputy principle for beating up one of the year seven boys, the last thing Lina wanted was her company. 

If it wasn't the conversation, or the manner, it was the attention, or lack of she felt for herself. It was imposable to go anywhere with Naga without drawing every eye their direction like metal to a magnet. And some of those eyes, belonging to males mostly, were rather scary. If there had ever been a model for Barbie, Naga was the living flesh of it, hair and eye colour aside. Her figure was just impossible in every aspect, and yet all men were on their knees and all women cursing or praying to be like her. 

Lina guessed she knew this since Naga wore either tight, or skimpy clothes. Both if the whether favoured. Her gym out fit was about the worst. 

"Well hello there, little friend." Naga called out. 

Lina sighed, "Hi Naga."

Naga glanced at Lina, the other girls, then through the window. "Oh I see," She said, "looking for a good one, eh?"

"No!" Lina jumped in, "I am not that low."

"Really?" Naga asked in a voice that said she wasn't listening. Lina huffed again. The dream girls were looking their way and she could feel her cheeks beginning to burn. "Ah yes, Goury. He's my new personal trainer. Nice instructor, not much for conversation though."

Lina thumped her hard in the arm. "Will you stop it? You know I'm not interested. And I've just had a bad day, so give it a rest." 

Naga turned her eyes back to Lina, and let out one of her ever-ready laughs. If the figure didn't draw attention, then these did. Now the whole street was staring. "You little kiddies had to go to school today!" Naga managed through gasps for breath and further laughter. She put on a mock mother's voice and bent down to pinch Lina's cheek, "Did you enjoy your first day back? Play nice with the other little kiddies?"

This time Lina kicked her in the shin. "At least I won't be dropping out at the end of this year like you did when you were in year ten." She said. Naga glared at her for bringing up her past.

"Let's get a drink." The older girl suggested curtly and turned. Lina sighed and followed quickly, aware of the stares and murmurs they had left behind. 

                                                            ~

A drink involved finding the nearest 7-11, which was up the road from the Mc Donald's. One good thing about living in the city, was the proximity of it all. 

The doors slid open automatically as the two girls approached. Lina dumped her bag outside, pulling out her wallet first. A couple of other bags from different schools were already there, under the sign forbidding them in the store. Safer in numbers, although the only things in her bag were her school books, which she could do without, her Atlas City High jumper, a cack green in colour, and her empty lunch bag. Whichever thief picked it up would be highly disappointed. 

"Hi Vrumugun." Naga winked apon entry. Vrumugun was standing behind the counter with his usual expressionless face. "Hi Zangulus!" She called down the back of the store where he was restocking the shelves. Naga was fairly well acquaintance with most of the male population in Atlas. Sometimes it gave Lina's mind too much exercise for her liking. 

"Oh, well look what the cat dragged in. The flat-chested tomboy" A highly pious voice sung from over by the fridges. Lina cringed again. This wasn't her lucky day. 

She should have realised the emblems on the bags out the front belonged to the snobs at St Ive's. Lina knew a few of them through district netball. They were all on the premiership team from their snobby suburbs. 

In those days, Lina had played centre, and her opponent had always been Martina. 

Martina was standing, hands on hips, blocking her way to the drinks. She was one of those girls who wore their uniform with pride, not because they had any love of the school, just that it showed wealth. 

Behind her was some black-haired, wide-eyed meek little follower that she picked up every now and then. 

Lina shot Martina a death glare. The girl returned it with a superior smile. Once, Lina's netball team had beaten Martina's. If there had been resentment between the two before, it was only tripled by this factor.

Naga's eyes were darting between the two. Her knowledge of the female population was nowhere near as grand. The meek girl placed a hand on Martina's arm, glancing nervously at Naga. Naga turned away.

"Come on Martina." She said, looking to Lina, "Let's go. I've got the mag I owe you."

Lina scoffed. "You got them buying your Girlfriend magazines now!"

Martina scowled but the other girl answered. "Yes, I owe her it. You see Sister Ul Copt sort of confiscated the last one while I was reading it under the desk in religion." She said with a slight giggle. Lina hated the sound of religion been a subject. It was not one in her weekly state school timetable, thank god. 

"Do you approve of that?" Martina asked, "Although what I care about your opinion is beyond me." With that Martina and the other girl walked back out through the door. Lina noticed the sweet smile Martina flashed for Zangulus. 

"Bitch!" Lina hissed after her. 

"A friend of yours?" Naga asked turning back to her.

"Far from it."

They grabbed two cokes and headed for the counter. Vrumugun swiped the drinks, took their money and handed their change back as if on automatic mode. Naga waved good-bye as they left.

Outside, Lina was just zipping up her school bag having dropped her wallet inside. She turned back to Naga who was lighting up. 

'You know cigarettes kill.' Lina pointed out although she knew her friend would take no notice.

'So do guns.' Naga replied making the lighter disappear from view. She took a long drag letting the drug spread throughout her body. 'Ah I needed that. Don't you have homework?' 

Lina did, but she felt no urge to do it right then. Still she left Naga there catching the bus home. Today obviously had it in for her.

~

The book was heavy in his hands, the pages a dirty yellow but the cover a deep navy blue with gold lettering. As was the case with most of the law books in the university library.  

Zelgadiss shifted it on his lap, the sun reflecting off the paper making him squint his eyes. He shifted again so it was in the shadow of the tree he sat beneath in the uni gardens. He had read the same sentence about five times still trying to concentrate so it will eventually sink in and he could move on to the next one. 

'If you stare at that page any harder you'll burn a hole through it.'

Zelgadiss looked up to the owner of the voice. A boy with black hair and blue eyes was smiling down at him. 'Hi.' The boy said, holding out a hand, 'My name's Alfred Saillune. I'm also studding law here with you. I saw you in the theatre today. Wasn't that speech boring, eh?' 

Zelgadiss blinked. 'Yeah.' He stood up to shake his hand. 'I'm Zelgadiss.' He added, 'Zelgadiss Greyweres.'

'Cool name!' Alfred commented. 'Mine's pretty boring. How did ya parents come up with one like that?'

Zelgadiss shrugged. 'Don't really know. My mother named me, but she's dead now.'

'Oh, sorry.' Alfred apologized and smiled sympathetically. 'Hey, do you mind if I just call you Zel?' He flopped down to sit under the tree as well, hugging one of his knees and looking around at Ceiphied University, named after some smart guy in history of the country. 'Big, isn't it? I'm trying to get to know it and the people I'll be dealing with.'

Zelgadiss resumed his seat as well. 'Yeah. I got lost finding the theatre.' He admitted. He really didn't know what to think of this new guy. 

Alfred laughed. 'I bet I'll get lost someday soon.' There was a moment's pause as they tried to think of something to say. 'So where did you finish your ACE?'

'Just Atlas High.'

'The local public school!' Alfred sounded surprised. 'Not that there's anything wrong with that. I went to St Kevin's like my father and his brothers before me. And my grandfather before them. In fact, every guy in the family's gone there while all the chicks go to St Ive's. A good catholic upbringing.' He snorted. 'Anyways, I suppose I better get going and leave you to that book.' 

Alfred stood up to leave. 'Guess I'll see you around, Zel.' 

'Bye.' Zelgadiss returned. He tried to puzzle their conversation out as he watched Alfred's back. The boy had gone off to talk to someone else in one of their law classes. He shrugged and returned to the book but never got past that first sentence. Eventually he gave up and decided to return to the apartment where he knew his flat mate, Zolf, would be lying about. 

As I said, continuation depends on feedback. Hmm, maybe I'll do my first disclaimer. I don't own Slayers but everything about this fic is original! Oh, and the beginning with Amelia and the mag was just ripped-off the book 'Looking for Alibrandi' ^.^ 

Can't you tell it was the middle of the night? No? Ah well. Please review, even if you don't want more. 


End file.
